AMES, Ia. — It was late last year when Iowa State coach Matt Campbell asked defensive lineman Collin Olson to think about making the move to the offensive line.

Olson didn't need much time to contemplate such a big decision. All he needed were a few seconds.

“He said, ‘Get back to me whenever you need’ and I said, ‘Nah, coach, If you want me there I’m moving there for the team,'" Olson recalled.

It was the best football decision Olson has made. Because after spending three seasons fighting to get on the field, Olson isn’t just playing, he’s starting.

“Honestly, I didn’t think that I would ascend this fast but I’ve just been working hard and trusting the process that coach always says,” Olson said.

It’s been quite the process for Olson, a former star at Ankeny High School and Ankeny Centennial. Olson, who had zero scholarship offers from Division I schools, walked on the Iowa State football team.

His first few seasons went like most walk-ons, appearing in just one game, at Akron in mop-up duty, during his first three years. Despite not getting on the field much, Olson still managed to catch Campbell's attention. Campbell thought Olson could help the Cyclones someday and somewhere — just maybe not on defense.

So, before the end of the 2017 season, Campbell asked Olson to think about making the switch.

“He just asked me if I had any interest in moving to the O-line,” Olson said. “And honestly, I didn’t but I thought if he was asking me to, he thought I could fill some sort of need or something that he had in his mind.”

Olson was right. A void eventually did open up when Josh Mueller, Iowa State’s starting left guard for the first two games this season, got hurt. Campbell called on Olson who had been impressing him with his consistency and work ethic.,

Olson, who had gotten playing time in Iowa State’s first two games, had never started a game. So even Campbell wasn’t sure what to expect when Olson made his first start against No. 5 Oklahoma.

“What I found is (guys) that have a great foundation underneath them, great work ethic … and are willing to be up here and study the game of football," Campbell said. "Those guys, when their opportunities usually come, they made the most if it."

Olson took advantage of his shot and played well enough to get the start again at Texas Christian. He played so well there that Campbell said he could continue to start, even as Mueller works his way back to health.

“I do think he’s one of the real bright spots in the early part of the season,” Campbell said.

Who saw it coming? Well, not even Olson, who thought that the move may be another road block. It has not only opened up new doors, but allowed Olson to prove a lot of his doubters wrong.

“Coming out of high school, I was told by pretty much everyone, I’m too short to play, too slow to play,” Olson said. “So, I didn’t really expect to get on the field for the (first) couple of years here.

"I knew that I’d have to work my way up and when I switched to the offensive line, I kind of felt like it would set me back to the starting blocks but I was able to fight through that and just keep pushing. “

Switching from defense to offense wasn’t hard, Olson said. He did skill work with Julian Good-Jones and Bryce Meeker. Olson worked relentlessly for two or three weeks with Iowa State offensive line coach Jeff Myers.

Olson also drew some inspiration from former teammate Joel Lanning, who made a position change of his own going from quarterback to linebacker last season.

“Just seeing the success he had and just the willingness he had to do anything for the team, it’s just easy to follow a role like that,” Olson said.

Looking back on it, Olson said he's thankful he agreed to switch positions. Who knows where his career would be now if he hadn't?

“I’m more than happy with the way that everything’s turned out,” Olson said.